MountVille AlphaVille SimpleVille... My loyalty to them all...

P.S Skip this entry if u dun wanna hear grandmother's story.

Went back to Mountville today. It is my third time stepping into the compound ever since they built the new school building.... once was with my sister (who happens to be an old girl there too), another with someone special and today... alone.

Was stopped by the security guard and OM, asked me what was my purpose there. I told them I was an old girl. Wanted to jus walk ard. They asked me which school am I STUDYING in now (notice the word "studying") Muahahahaha didn't know I look so young!!!! Told them I'm a teacher. They were stunned! They allowed me in and I secretly took photos of the new building and its surrounding.. ssshhhhh... Walked ard and perhaps due to the lack of pri pupils screaming and running about, there was this sense of calm and serenity and in that moment I could relive my pri sch days. Though the old building was gone and the huge field replaced by a block, I could still picture the location of the previous classrooms, canteen hall and the garden from where I had to remove weeds in my Science club days (Pri 4) ... grrhhh.. Gave that up cos I only learnt how to weed and grow sweet potatoes. Joined dance in Pri 5 . Today, I also walked up n down the slope I used to dread. There was this queer theory that girls from Mountville are short cos the pull of gravity as they climb this Mount every morning, makes them shorter. Full of crap! But strangely.. it seems true leh!!! Most of us WERE and ARE still short! Ggrrhhh...

I walked over to the little chapel nearby n recollected all the beautiful memories that took place in that quaint and meaningful place (as a kid and as an adult). A place to find inner peace and look for answers. I spotted a grafitti that was engraved on the pews. So sweet. Felt so recent. Today, they just put up the Christmas decorations.. At last, Christmas is near.. A sense of hope.

As I sat there, a series of thoughts ran through my mind. I realised this:

I've always been connected to schools in one way or another...

Memories from my primary school days remain very vivid in my mind. I remember the first day of school ( I went without my parents and I didn't cry!!! Haha losers!!) I was carrying this red bag with some cartoons on it. And I carried my bag down to the canteen during recess as I thought I was going home. Till I realised something was wrong that I ran up to put my bag in the classroom. I also remembered that the first girl I spoke to was this Ang Moh girl by the name of Jessica n opposite me was this girl by the name of Charlotte ( her mum introduced us.. duh). Gosh I'm amazed by the fact that I can still remember these stuff.. (as i'm currently suffering from short term memory.. or perhaps I've amnesia) I also remember the silly things I did in school, flushed a friend's pilot shaker pencil down the toilet bowl n realised it can't be flushed, called my best friend Susan when she didn't turn up in school and cried when I realised she's no longer around (cos she migrated to England and didn't tell me!!!!) Some kinda friends u have in primary one huh?? Then I remember seeing blood in the girl's toilet bowl n rumours started spreading that there's a vampire sucking girls blood in the toilet..and a whole bunch of girls who went to the toilet during recess would run out screaming. Just imagine.. no one told us anything about periods at the age of 7!!! Obviously we'll believe!

These and a lot more memories.. for each year that I'm there, I can remember something.. Perhaps it's this strong connection with the school that I continue my Secondary education in the same school despite getting good.. I mean very good (ahem) PSLE results..

Many gd n bad memories followed. We were so sad when we left as we were the last batch of Secondary students in that school... (damn they closed down the secondary levels due to lack of space) The news was made known to us when we were in Secondary One. Some decided to leave for another 'better' school for fear of the unknown circumstances that follows this decision but I stayed on..... There was just this attachment.. I couldn't bring myself to leave the school.

2 years after secondary school. I still went back to help out at their fun fair by setting up cotton candy stalls.

Next came Alphaville. Again, I felt very homely and at ease here during the first 3 months. When the O level results were released, I could have gone to two other 'better' JCs but I stayed on.. There was just this attachment.. I couldn't bring myself to leave the school.

During the 2 years in JC, I danced a lot. For school performances, for competitions, for public performances, for opening ceremonies, for Singapore even. (represented Singapore to perform in the 3rd ASIAN Youth festival in South Korea... fantastic experience) I even sacrificed my Econs for dance.

After 2 years in Alphaville, I couldn't bear to leave. So with the other dancers we formed the Dance Alumni and guest performed in the biannual dance concert.. 1998, 2000, 2002... Finally in 2004, we stepped out of Dance society's shadows and decided to go on our own. We were renamed Dance Sync.. (ironic it may seem cos we sometimes dance out of sync). We conceptualised the concert, the theme and self-choreographed the items taking into consideration the lighting effects and costume design. We had no money, we asked for grants, we literally tried everything on our own. (very ambitous indeed!)

31st January 2004. A night to remember. Colours of Emotion was produced. Some said it wasn't professional enough. Others said it was good. But seriously, we were just too excited about putting up our own show that we were contented with what we did. After the concert, we were on a high, started planning the next concert.

Qi... was borned. Four intonation from the word qi in mandarin. Qi1 - Seven, Qi2 - Chess, Qi3 -????? (haha up til now i still dunno wat this word means even though I'm in this dance) Qi4 - Air

One year of preparation. One set back cos THEY decided to have the election on our original date and venue of holding the concert ( so our original venue was cancelled). Later, THEY decided that there'll be no election... grrhh.. So the concert was postponed to 17 December 2005. Quite a success... some commented that there was improvements in dance techniques. One said I look gorgeous on stage...(Muahahaha that person must be blind) As usual, because of the change of plans. Some dancers couldn't commit and left, but I stayed on...
There was just this attachment.. I couldn't bring myself to leave.

Being one of three oldest dancer there, I wonder why am I still in this "JC" dance group. Could be my passion for dancing, the camaraderie with my fellow dancers and more. Or simply... There was just this attachment.. I couldn't bring myself to leave.

In 2002, I was posted to Simpleville for practicum. Spent 8 weeks there actually longer (cos i was asked to come back after practicum to mark exam scripts and I did!!!!) Despite that, I had a strange bond with this school. I didn't really form firm friendship then but somehow, I requested to come back. Why?
There was just this attachment.. I couldn't bring myself to leave.

After 4 years being in this school, and having formed the firmed friendships that some how i know i'll get, experienced many changes, saw many colleagues come and go, I wonder if I'll ever leave Simpleville. I could.. but i know there's more i can contribute to this place.. and it has not reached its peak yet. But more importantly again.... There is just this one attachment.. I couldn't bring myself to leave.

Is this loyalty and faithfulness ? Is it my nature.. I just don't leave even though it's not right to stay on... Or is it because I don't dare to leave for fear of the unknown consequences? It really takes a lot of courage to leave. And today, I found this courage... twice...